I grew a large patch of black oil sunflowers this year specifically for feeding to my chickens. They started blooming a couple of weeks ago. I was anxious to feed some to my chickens. I thought "why not feed them a couple of the flowers?". I selected a couple that looked like the seeds were starting to turn black. I cut them off the plant with about a 2 foot stem. I set these in the run with the flowers facing up.
The chickens went crazy on them. They had no trouble picking the seeds out of the head. The seeds were gone in a few minutes. After that they ate the leaves.
I am now feeding 2 or 3 heads to the 17 chickens each evening.
I had feared that I would have to remove the seeds from the heads by hand in the fall after they matured. Now I know that I can just feed head and all. Every few days I pick up the remains of the stems and empty heads and throw them in the compost pile.
There will still be lots of heads of seeds that will mature before they get eaten. When I see they are mature and before the fall rains start, I will pick the heads and hang them upside down from the ceiling in my garage.
The chickens went crazy on them. They had no trouble picking the seeds out of the head. The seeds were gone in a few minutes. After that they ate the leaves.
I am now feeding 2 or 3 heads to the 17 chickens each evening.
I had feared that I would have to remove the seeds from the heads by hand in the fall after they matured. Now I know that I can just feed head and all. Every few days I pick up the remains of the stems and empty heads and throw them in the compost pile.
There will still be lots of heads of seeds that will mature before they get eaten. When I see they are mature and before the fall rains start, I will pick the heads and hang them upside down from the ceiling in my garage.
